Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Protests Began

So the November 4th Protests just began in Tehran. I'll do my best to live blog it here. PersianRadio.com is reporting everything both in English and Persian languages as they have callers on the ground. I'll check other sources and will translate them as they become available. Today, regime will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the US Embassy siege in 1979 and the pro-freedom people will spoil this for the mullahs and their IRGC gangsters.

1:35am ET: Apparently pro-democracy people have gathered in front of Tehran university campus. People are chanting "Death to Russia" whenever the regime official asks them to chant 'Death to USA'.

2:16am ET: Crowds are reported in front of Tehran University's main campus. Gun fire was heard. The crowd will march from where it is (Enghelab Sq) to Haft-e-Tir Sq. Police using tear gas to disperse the crowd. 10-15 are arrested, reportedly. Bear in mind that Hafte-Tir Sq is a few hundred yards/meters away from the former US embassy compound. 2:26am ET: All shops and roads around former US embassy compound are forced to close. All streets around the ex-embassy are also blocked by regime's security forces. There are confirmed reports of heavy clashes between people and Basijis in Tehran. Shots have been fired/heard around the embassy compound. 2:35am ET: Reports have it that Neda's mother has been arrested when she showed up for protests in Hafte-Tir Sq. 2:45am ET: Basij is reported to be using a local mosque as an interim detention center. Women are beaten violently. People are urged not to enter narrow alleys as they are being used to capture protesters. Tehran's subway/metro system has been shut down. 2:55am ET: Majority of protesters are peaceful and non-violent. CNN International will have the coverage of the protests any minute now. Karoubi has been seen among the protesters. People are urged not to go in any narrow streets or alleys as they are being used as baits by Basij forces. 3:09am ET: On the phone with a friend from Hafte-Tir Sq (main spot of protests): Large crowds of people are reported/seen. Police presence is frightening. Helicopters are seen flying over the crowd near the former US embassy compound. 3:27am ET: Russian embassy is heavily protected by security forces. Regime fears that people might try to attack the Russian embassy in Tehran. The official anti-US protest is now over.

3:37am ET: Karroubi has been seen under attack from regime's thugs and reported to have been detained. 3:50am ET:Video of today's protest in Tehran. The common chant is "Death to Dictator". The security forces are beating every one including by-standers. Tear gas is extensively used to disperse the remaining protesters. Large crowd of people are reported in cities of Esfahan, Shiraz and Tabriz. 4:09am ET:Three more videos from Tehran's protests. Here is Al-Arabiya TV coverage of protests.

4:31am ET: The cell phone network in most parts of Tehran is shut down. There are reports of wide spread beatings and arrests. Women have especially been targeted. Most callers on Persian Radio were upset with Obama and other western leaders' silence over the ongoing situation in Iran.